Federal safety inspectors have found more than a dozen serious safety violations related to the handling of hazardous materials at the Housing Authority of New Orleans' Iberville construction site.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited four companies, including general contractor Durr Heavy Construction, for violations including failure to provide proper decontamination facilities and proper safety equipment required on job sites contaminated with lead and asbestos.

Lead, a common paint additive prior to a 1978 ban, is a potent neurotoxin, and asbestos, once used as a fire-retardant insulation, is known to cause lung cancer for those subject to prolonged exposure.

The other companies cited were Abatement Construction & Services Contractor, Horsepower Construction and Metro Service Group.

Metro is one of the lead contractors on the team recently awarded a $546 million contract by the New Orleans Aviation Board to build a new terminal at Louis Armstrong International Airport.

The companies have 15 days from the date of the citation, Aug. 15, to address the violations or face fines worth a collective $42,100.

Dana Stumpf, chief administrative officer for Durr, said that the violations were addressed immediately during OSHA's site visit. She said that the company will request a hearing with the agency, as is their right, and present additional information regarding the company's commitment to safety. "There are more facts that we can present that show that safety was our first priority," she said.

Stumpf said that Durr shares responsibility with its subcontractors to ensure the job site is safe for workers.

Attempts to reach Metro and ACSC were unsuccessful. The owner of Horsepower, reached by phone, said that she had not been formally notified of the violations. She declined to give her name.

Construction workers Patrick Delaney and Reginald Junior reported what they called egregious safety violations on the job site. Workers had no place to change clothes and lacked basic safety equipment, they said.

HANO, in partnership with the city, is undertaking a $589 million revitalization effort to the old Iberville public-housing development, a historic, 858-unit complex that sits on the edge of the French Quarter and the Central Business District.

Asked why HANO hadn't ensured the safety of workers on its job site, Director Gregg Fortner issued the following statement through a spokeswoman:

"We are working with the developer at Iberville to ensure that all subcontractors comply with federal regulations and adhere to the necessary safety measures. HANO will monitor the developer to ensure that immediate corrective action is taken on any valid findings or citations from regulatory agencies."